My instant reaction was 'the lord of the manor', but that's because, for some reason I squinted/scanned over the title too quick and read the OP as 'Villien'
Dick Dastardly
In that order.Darth Vader
Cruel, rather than brutal? Like the aforementioned Servalan... ooh, ServalanOf the ones I recognise, we seem to have a fondness for intelligent menace.